The Madness Of Recalls : What's Next for Councils & Residents

By Lloyd Takawira 

2020 in the history of local government  in Zimbabwe has become the most problematic as  challenges largely because of the toxic binary, bi-polor political climate pitting the two  MDC formations consuming each  reached a breaking point much to the detriment of service delivery. 

Residents The Biggest Losers 

It must be succinctly postulated , that whilst , the voice of reason , failed to linger in the minds of the two warring MDC formations to find each other , the burden was (is) transferred to  the biggest looser who is the resident. 

Despite many scholars , civic societies proposing  strategies or policies to be nitiated over the years, the (system)(government) has rigidity stood in the way to detract any  vision of an admirable local government system.

Dead reader , our local government has been in the doldrums because of varied challenges which includes lack of funding, too much central government intervention in local issues.

The toxic Political climate that has soiled our governance culture has been a breeding ground for  recentralisation by government.

Through forcing local government officers to report to the  Provincial Minister , the Minister of Local Government has always  been the major drawback to a successful  local government development.

The case of Harare , has all but confirmed that the government doesn't care about residents welfare .Hardly  a month after his election, Harare Mayor councillor Jacob Mafume was  recalled by a non existent bogus  party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), a development that has since been interdicted by the high court.

The whole recall  charade boggles the mind on  how the state has sunk so low in institutionalizing a well oiled machinery to make sure that , in  urban areas were the alternative controls service delivery is crippled. 

The minister of local government July Moyo hurriedly  initiated the recall of Councilor Mafume using a bogus letter ostensibly to suffocate service delivery and ultimately the alternative gets blamed.

Despite , parliament having  already made a decision that the MDC Alliance is a coalition and has since  allowed the supreme court resurrected MDC-T to recall Members of Parliament, and councilors , the minister went on to initiate the recalls.

It must be observed that the ushering in of the new National Constitution (2013) , many felt a positive development , envisioned as a step in the right direction that could end government interference into the operations of the councils .

However, the government has systematically been wanting to dent progress in alternative controlled  hotspots (urban areas) , obviously a political score point to discredit  the alternative (opposition)

Many a time ,  students of local governance felt local government legislation has given too much power to the Minister of Local Government who in the past tended   to be abusive  as evidenced by unilateral appointments of Commissions and firings of legal institutions. 

Despite a red flag by civil societies such as CHRA ,  to the MDC T that the recalls have dented the operations of councils . The call fell on deaf ears .

With whispers doing the rounds that the government want to appoint  commissions whose notoriority is recorded in the history books for embezzlement of council funds ,one wonders how could the opposition give Zanu PF a clear penalty to score and reward the the boys(Cdes)

Dear reader , it's crystal clear that, the deterioration of a local government system cannot be separated from the mindless political infighting consuming the two opposition formations aided by the state which appears to have taken a stance to aid another factions .

It must also be argued that , while the state might want to exonorate itself from the recalls , it's visible hand is as clear as the back of a goat.

Spirited calls by organizations  for the supreme court resurrected MDC T  leadership to stop the recalls couldn't be heard .

Dear reader , as the country goes for the by-elections and future elections particularly at council level. There is need for residents to elect literate councillors who can form policies or interpret statistical information like financial data especially during budget debates.

Moreso to the voter , the clarion call is to punish those who have put the country in the election mode as well as millions of dollars for the By-elections at the expense of service delivery .

Lloyd Takawira is a freelance writer and can be contacted on +26377192311 / tllyoyd@gmail.com